Suspension system for automobile vehicles



* p H949 M; F. A, JULIEN SUSPENSION SYSTEM FOR AUTOMOBILE VEHICLES Filed March 5, 1945 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 6, 1949 SUSPENSION SYSTEM FOR AUTOMOBILE VEHICLES Maurice Francois Alexandre Julien, Paris, France Application March 5, 1945, Serial No. 581,007 In France November 22, 1944 The present invention relates to wheeled vehicle suspension devices of the kind including torsional bars, that is to say elongated elements one end of which is twisted with respect to the other end under the effect of the suspension stresses so as to take advantage of the torsional elasticity of said elements, The invention is more especially concerned with the suspension of a pair of wheels at the front or at the rear of a chassisframe the width of which is greater than the distance between said wheels.

The object of my invention is to provide a suspension system of this kind which is better adapted to meet the requirements of practice than existing suspension systems, and, in particular, in which the forces are better distributed, which permits of reducing the weight of the system.

A preferred embodiment of my invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawing, given merely by way of example, and in which:

The only figure is a perspective view, with parts out off, of a suspension device according to the present invention.

My invention is concerned with the case of a vehicle the chassis-frame of which is of the maximum width possible for the type of vehicle that is being considered, this width being greater than the distance between the wheels, so that the outer wall of the vehicle body is for instance substantially flush with the external plane of the wings. It is for instance desired to provide a suspension device for the rear wheels by means of torsional bar devices, these wheels being either dependent on each other or independent, driven or freely rotatable.

On the drawing I have shown at 3 a chassisframe including a rear transverse member 20. The wheels which are supposed to be connected together by an axle 2, are carried by arms I.

Each arm I is fixed at right angles to one of the ends l5 of a torsional tube 5 the other end It of which is located near the middle longitudinal plane of the vehicle, where it is fixed to one end of a torsional bar 4, mounted on the inside of tube 5, coaxially therewith and of a length slightly smaller than one half of the width of the chassis. The other end of bar 4 is securely held in a fixation device l4, carried by the chassis-frame in the general plane of longitudinal member 3.

Furthermore, I provide, between this suspension device and the chassis-frame, means for preventing bending of tube 5 and bar 4 while permitting the rotary movements inherent in tor- 3 Claims. (Cl. 267-57) sional deformations of the whole. These means are arranged in such manner that the reactions due in particular to the load of the vehicle and to horizontal forces acting thereon (traction, braking, etc.) transmit but small stresses, or even no stress at all, to the central portion of transverse member ZEI.

For instance, these means may be constituted by two bearings, l1 and I8, one of which, to wit I1, is for instance located between arm I and fixation device i4, while the other, to wit I8, is located in the central portion of transverse member 20. These two bearings may include any cushioning devices, either elastic or not, as shown at l9.

Whatever be the particular construction of the elements of such a structure, it is clear that:

On the one hand, if the distance between the outer bearing I I and arm I is small, reactions P and T, due respectively to the load and to the horizontal forces, will be located substantially in the plane of this last mentioned bearing [1, while, on the contrary, the other bearing l8 will undergo but relatively small efforts; and,

On the other hand, concerning the reactions due to the efforts that are developed in the tube and the torsional bar in consequence of the suspension action, these reactions are zero in the inner or central bearing l8 and are exclusively transmitted to the fixation device M, in the form of a torque F, F, located in the vertical plane of longitudinal member 3, that is to say ensuring the best possible conditions for being absorbed by the chassis-frame without undue deformation of any part thereof.

0f course, this suspension device will be completed by suitable shock absorbing means.

Whatever be the particular embodiment that is chosen, I obtain a device the operation of which results sufliciently clearly from the preceding explanations for making it unnecessary further to describe it.

This suspension device has over similar devices used up to the present time, many advantages among which the following may be cited as being particularly interesting:

The construction can be made of lighter weight, owing to a better distribution of the efforts supported by the parts;

Furthermore, it is possible to improve to a large degree the elasticity of the suspension device even when the space that is available between two corresponding wheels is relatively small, because the whole width of the chassis frame of the vehicle is taken advantage of.

Finally, the suspension device permits, under remarkable conditions of rapidity, the fixation and the removal of the rear wheels with respect to the chassis frame, these operations requiring merely the tightening or Withdrawal of some bolts or other equivalent fixation means on, or from, the web of the rear cross membe'r of the chassisframe.

In a general manner, while I have, in the above description, disclosed what I deem to be practical and efiicient embodiments of the present invention, it should be well understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto as there might be, changes made in the arrangement, disposition and form of the parts without departing. from the principle of the present invention as cornprehended within the scope of the"'appe I (1 claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a wheeled vehicle having a chassis-frame ncludi on tudina s d members and at leas one t ansverse m mb r the ist nc betw en sa d side m mb r bein reat r tha t e is.- ano bet en he wo Whe s of the c r s on ne r h nd oft of wh l a suspension evice omprisin n com ina o a or onal her running transversely to said side members and fixed a on e d to sa d r me. in e vertical plane of. one of said side members, said torsional ha x endi g inward y from said vert a l n an s o p n at a hort dis a ce f m h v oal l n itudinal middl la e o h v h o a torsional tube coaxially surrounding said tori oa ba m an or coupl n t e in r nd of said torsional bar with the corresponding end of a aid t sion l toloes that. t rs ns ate r a ml from one. t the othe said. tube ex end-m ro aid end the eo o ward Wheel PPP io arm fixed to the second end of. said tube and exea m tra e el h r an h arin m an attled by said frame tor' su por n s id tor.- siional t aeai st eno o s resses.

2- n Wh et d eh ole ati g e has am including lon tud a ide. members adder lea t. one transverse member, the distancebe een said id mem r fbeme eate tha f the i an'oe bew en h two Wheels of the'oo e n nd ri ht and'left'pair'of wheels; a suspension de, ce coin.- lii fi r 9 Ilbin 9 l t rs onalboir runnin e a sai afi v rse" end thereto inthe ve 'plane'of, on'of said side members, said torsionalfba'r extending ina y from. said ie tio l lane an S a short d1 noel f omthevertical longitudinal.

middle plane of the vehicle, a tors dtl lls for a! with .4 the corresponding end of said torsional tube so that torsions are transmitted from one to the other, said tube extending from said end thereof outwardly, a wheel supporting arm fixed to the second end of said tube and extending transversely thereto, and two bearings carried by said transverse member for supporting said torsional tubet-o prevent bending thereof, one or said bearings beihg located close th the vertical plane of said side member and the other near said longitiidinal middle plane of the vehicle.

3. In a wheeled vehicle having a chassis-frame including longitudinal side members and at least one transverse member, the distance between said side. mrnbers'heihg greater than the distance between the. two wheels of the corresponding right a ,left' pair of'wheels, a suspension device comprising,'incombination, a torsional bar running along said transverse member and fixed at one end thereto in the vertical plane of one of said side members, said torsional bar extending inard y from. aid vertic l plane. and stop in at a short distance. from the vertical. longitudinal middl pl ne of the vehi a. t si nal tube, 00.- alsial r surround n said tors ona ar. means for ou lin t e. ino r' nd of sa d rsi al bar wi h e oo resoond ne en of said to si nal tube so. hat to si s e tra sm t d rom. one to the her a d who. extend n from aid. end ther of utwa d y a. Whee s p or n rm fixed to the.

second end of said tube and extending transerse y the et and two, bearin s. a ried by said ransv se memb or ooo ti a rsional u e. to. ere t bending the eo one o s d. heal:- ae oil t. he ted between the ver sa plane of said side member and the point of fixation f said Whe s ppo tin ar to. said ube and th othe near said longitudinal middle plane of the vehicle,

Ma ens eaeel oie Ateamest. avatar;-

REFERENCES? organ The following references are of record in the file. of this. patent:

whee ra ae B a re mbe Name Date 2,024,199 Barnes et a1 Decil'l, 1935 2,0?135112 Johnson June 9, 19.36. 2, 50,015 Barnes et, a1 Nov. 10, 193.6 2,033,331 Hutchison June 8, 193.7.

FQREIGN PATENTS- lt m Co t y. a

30M 2 hr t i A g- 2. no oa y 2 193,4 800,841 France May 1, 1,936, 

